Samsung is expanding beyond semiconductors into the rapidly growing AI infrastructure market with a combined $1 billion investment by six affiliates in U.S.-based Helix Digital Infrastructure.
Samsung Electronics, Samsung C&T, Samsung SDS, Samsung SDI, Samsung Life Insurance and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance are participating in the investment. Samsung Electronics will invest $500 million, while the other five affiliates will contribute a combined $500 million.
The investment gives Samsung exposure to the development and operation of AI data centers as demand for computing infrastructure continues to rise with the expansion of generative AI and high-performance computing.
Helix Digital Infrastructure was established by KKR in June to develop and operate hyperscale data centers while integrating power generation, transmission and distribution as well as optical and network infrastructure.
The company is led by Adam Selipsky, former CEO of Amazon Web Services, as co-founder and CEO. Other founding investors include KKR, NVIDIA, Vistra and the Kuwait Investment Authority.
Samsung's participation brings together capabilities spread across its affiliates.
Samsung Electronics can contribute advanced semiconductors, including AI memory, as well as cooling and HVAC technologies. Samsung C&T has construction and engineering capabilities for large-scale data center projects, while Samsung SDS provides expertise in IT infrastructure, cloud services and data center operations.
Samsung SDI can provide battery-based backup power solutions, while Samsung Life Insurance and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance can support financing and risk-management needs associated with large infrastructure projects.
The investment reflects a broader shift in the AI industry, where data center competitiveness increasingly depends not only on computing chips but also on electricity supply, cooling systems, backup power and network infrastructure.
For Samsung, the Helix investment provides a way to connect its existing businesses across these areas with the growing AI data center market.
Rather than approaching AI infrastructure solely through semiconductor supply, Samsung is seeking to participate across multiple stages of the data center ecosystem, from computing and power to construction, operation and financial services.
